Secret Garden Of Eden (Secret Window Fanfiction)

A Little Civil Justice

I cringed as she heard the jeep door slam. "Shit!" I heard Rainey yell.

Run my mind cried. But my leg's were like iron poles driven into the ground.

"What the f-"

I turned around to see him kick the front tire of his jeep. I gulped and nervously stepped off his porch and away from the cabin.

"Fuck!" he yelled, raking his hands through his messy hair.

His eyes landed on me, making my breath hitch. Run! Run! My feet were two lead bricks, I couldn't move to save my life.

I watched as he angrily approached me. Was that murder glinting in his eyes from behind his thin wire glasses?

"Did you do this?" he demanded in a low voice, inches from me.

"I-I..." I stuttered, panic fogging her thoughts.

Obviously I didn't, but would he believe me? I was alone and here was his house, ruined- everything pointed to me. Maybe if I explained... No, I wasn't going to turn a killer loose onto my boyfriend.

"Did you do this to my house!?" Rainey shouted.

I jumped. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"Oh, it was an accident, then? You accidentally wrote 'KILLER' on my door?!" he snapped.

I shook my head, not knowing what to say. I could picture myself at the bottom of the lake, face ghostly white and eyes wide with fear, the last image of Rainey killing me imprinted on them.

I was shocked back into reality when he grabbed my arm.

"What are you doing?" I asked, scared. He said nothing, but continued to haul me towards the cabin despite my efforts to resist. I wouldn't have thought he had such a strong grip.

"What are you going to do?" I asked frightened and feeling rather helpless.

"A little civil justice," he said through his teeth as he shoved her through the doorway.

~

For the next ten minutes, I found myself sitting on his couch increasingly growing nervous as Rainey paced the room muttering. He seemed to be having a heated conversation with himself.

It could be worse, I thought, it could always be worse.

He stopped suddenly and turned to her, staring intently.

"What's your name?" Rainey asked me.

I blinked, caught off guard. Did I really want a psychopath knowing my name? Hesitantly, I shook my head.

"Fine" he said reaching for the phone on the table in front of me. "You might be more willing to tell the police."

"Wait" I started.

Getting the cops involved could be a blessing. Surely he wouldn't kill me in front of them. Unless it was just a bluff and he had no intention of calling them... still I couldn't risk a lawsuit. My family didn't have money for a lawyer, especially after my dad left.

"Well?" Rainey prompted, the dial tone filling the silence.

I sighed. "Eden" I said defeated, "Eden Prescott."

Rainey considered her a moment then handed her the phone.

"Phone home."

Had his tone not been so deadly serious, I might have laughed. Hesitantly, I dialed my home number. His hand was outstretched expectantly, I gave him the phone. It's green cord stretched as he put it to his ear.

"Hello? Is this the Prescott residence?" he glanced at me briefly, "Can I speak to the head of the house?"

There was a pause. "Mrs. Prescott? I'm Mort Rainey...I have your daughter, Eden, here... I'm afraid she's gotten herself into a bit of trouble..."

~

We waited in an even more uncomfortable silence for my mother to arrive. Rainey had told me to stay put while he inspected the damage. He wasn't outside for more than a few minutes- he didn't want to leave me alone in his house for too long. He sat in one of two red chairs off to the side of the couch. My mother arrived quickly though, but it felt much longer. When the scrape of gravel announced my mother's arrival, Rainey almost jumped out of his seat.

He opened the porch door as a woman, in her early fifties, rushed out of her car. She was dressed appropriately for a middle class working mother but Rainey couldn't help but notice her attempts to look attractive, her low cut blouse, inch above the knee skirt and not too fancy heels. She had, he noted, succeeded. If only she had let her hair down instead of knotting it up into a bun. Would that girl turn out like her? He shook his head, this was business.

"Mrs. Prescott" he said politely.

She had yet recovered from taking in the cabin's damage. "Oh, Mr. Rainey, I'm so very sorry!" she said stepping in. "Eden just doesn't do this sort of thing." She shook her head.

"When I left, my cabin was fine, when I came back it was like this, I found her on the property and she admitted doing it."

Mom looked at me aghast. "Is that true?"

I sighed and stared at my shoes. Changing the story now wouldn't do any good. I was safe now, my mother was here and he couldn't kill me. I'd just get Trevor back somehow...

"This really isn't like her" Mom told Rainey.

"Yes, well at this age they're out of control, looking for attention," he sympathized.

"How can we make this up? Do you have an estimate?" she asked earnestly.

He thought for a moment, "Well, what do you say that Eden, here, takes the responsibility alone? You seem like a caring woman, I'd hate to push this on you," he said sweetly.

I perked up. No allowance for a year, ten years. Fine. Done deal! As long as I never have to see this place or this man again!

"What did you have in mind?" Mom inquired curiously.

"How about she works here? Repairs the damages and cleans up for a month or so and we'll consider it even" Rainey offered, trying to sound hopeful.

Mom considered for a moment then smiled.

God, no! Please no! Anything but-

"That sounds like a wonderful idea!"

Rainey grinned, "Then it's a deal?"

"Yes, of course. When would you like her to start?"

"Monday, nice and fresh. Noon too early?"

"Of course not."

Mother urged me to get up. "Now I hope you apologized to Mr. Rainey?"

I stood before him and looked him in the eyes. He coolly gazed back. Something about him made my stomach churn.

"Sorry..." I said, my throat tight.

Mom guided me out the door. "So sorry about this Mr. Rainey," she said in passing.

He watched from his porch. "So am I, Mrs. Prescott" he called.

I waited for mom to unlock the passenger door. It clicked and just as she pulled it open Rainey shouted to me.

"See you Monday!"